Electrical input controller



1944- H. J. OSTERMANN EI'AL 2,354,965

ELECTRICAL INPUT CONTROLLER Filed July 51, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. f/nnsll- Osfermann and Headers/1.0km

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4 H. J. OSTERMANN ETAL ELECTRICAL INPUT CONTROLLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed July 31, 1940 INVENTOR. -//an Jflslermann am med/246110 "M 21%ATTORNEYS.

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I 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL INPUT CONTROLLER.

Hans J. Ostermann and Theodore A. Cohen, Chicago, 11L, assignors, bymesne assignments, to Wheeloo Instruments Company, Chicago, 111., acorporation of Illinois Application July 31, i9, Serial No. 349,026

3 Claims. (Cl. 200-33) This invention relates to an improved currentinterruptor means for adjustably varying the power supply to 'anelectric circuit without the power losses usually attendant upon the useof rheostats and the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide such an interruptorwhich is simple of construction, efilcient in operation and convenientof installation, renewal and repair.

Other and further objects of this invention will be more apparenthereinafter as the same becomes better understood from an examination ofthe specification and claims in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional elevation, at the line l-i of Fig. 2, ofa current interrupter and housing therefor and associated parts forminga self-contained unit, with parts omitted, embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken at the line 2-2 of Fig. l; V

F 3 is a vertical section, somewhat enlarged, and taken at the line 3-4of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the interruptor elements incircuit so as to deliver 100% of or full required power to the load;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the interrupto elements in circuit soas to deliver no current to the load:

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail front view from the left of Fig. 1 showingthe adjustable indicator mechanism.

Referring to the drawings more particularly. reference character Idesignates a front frame section cast to provide a central opening andmount for a ball bearing unit 2 and an integral rearwardly' extendingarcuate support I for a combined reduction gear and motor housing l-J. Arear housing section 6 has an annular integral forwardly extending wallI which fits within an annular rearwardly extending peripheral flange Ion the casting i. A removable annular flange 2, shown in dotted lines inFigs. 1 and 2, may be provided for mounting the unit in a panel (notshown).

The ball bearing unit 2 rotatably supports a sleeve II. The sleeve itcarries, at one end, an integral circular manually rotatable cup shapedmember II and, at its other end, a cam l2 for rotation therewith. iAbroken shaft It extends through the sleeve Iii, permitting relativerotational movement between said shaft and sleeve, the other end of saidshaft being mounted in a suitable bearing Ii in the reduction gearhousing integrally formed with a coupling for the two sections of saidshaft, is locked to said shaft section by set screws Ila and is adaptedto be driven by the motor 5. The cam II also forms part of a frictionclutch l'l having faces II and it, face I! being yieldably connected tocam l2 and rotat able therewith by means of pin Ho and compressionspring i2b. Friction facing Ills attached to cam II and rotatabletherewith.

The outer end of shaft ll hasmounted thereon, for rotation therewith, acircular disk 2i which is graduated in two hundred equi-angulardivisions arranged about its entire circumference. These graduations arevisible, a predetermined number at a time; through a window 22 in acover 23 in cup member II. The window 22 has an index'pointer 29 so thatthe cup shaped member ll may be manually rotated to move cam ii to anydesired rotational position with respect to cam ii. The cams l2 and IIare modified degree cams, that is around half of their circumferencethey are high and the other half they are low.

Within the housing l and attached to casting I there is mounted a pairof single polebolted in spaced relation by bolts 21 and'spaeer 28 andeach provided with an operating roller II and ll for contacting cams l2and I5 respectively. These roller operated snap action switches are of atype well known in' the art. The rotation of cams l2 and I! move rollersill and ii up and down to thereby open and close the contacts of therespective switches 2| and 26. I

A terminal plate 82 having current conducting terminals 33 is mountedupon casting I, within the housing I -6, by suitable brackets 3i asshown in Fig. 2.

When it is desired to provide full required power for load 38 from linesupply 31, the cup shaped member II is revolved manually to causerelative movement between the cams by virtue of slippage between clutchfaces i|ll to bring said cams to coincidental relative position shown inFig. 4.- In this position the indicator pointer 22 would read ill. ondial 2i. With the cams' l2 and I! as shown, the switches 25 and 26 willhave their contacts 28a and 25b and 26a and 26b closed for 180 degreesof rotation of shaft ii. The remaining 180 degrees of rotation of shaftI3 and double throw snap action switches 25 and 20' rotation time ofshaft H5 may be chosen as reuuircd but in the form ahown is onerevolution per minute and for the cam position shown current wfli flowfor 186% of this time cycle.

5 is shown the obverse condition for oi the time cycle, wherein the cam12 has been rotated 130 degrees with respect to cam I! by manualoperation of cup to cause an indicator reading of zero on dial 21. Withthe cam as in Fig. 5, switch 25 has contact 25a and 25c closed and 25aand E56 open while switch 26 has contacts 26c and 58-h closed and 28aand 28c open dimng 1&0 degrees of rotation of shaft it. No current mayfiow from line 31 to load during this as the circuit is open. The someopen circuit condition remains during the remaining 186 degrees oirotation of shaft ll wherein switches '25 and to reverse their contactpositions so that contacts and 2% are closed,

its and 250 are open with 28c and 26b open and 23a and 26c closed. Thusfor the full 360 degrce rotation of shaft 52 the circuit remains openand no current can flow to load.

Any intermediate position between these two extreme positions shown of150% input and 0% input may be chosen by appropriate correspondingsetting of the indicator assembly ll, 2| and 25*. For example, should59% be desired, cup I l would be rotated so that pointer 29 would read50" on dial M (Fig. 6), the cam positions would be such as to causeswitches 25 and 25 to mainmm the current new circuit to load 38 closedfor 50% of the cycle and open for the remaining 50% 01' the cycle. Thusit shaft II has a rotational cycle of 1 R. P. M. the circuit will beclosed for 15 seconds during the first 180 degrees of rotation and openfor 15 seconds during this 180 degrees rotation, closed again for 15seconds and open again for 15 seconds for the remaining 180 degrees ofrotation. In a 366 degrees rotation there will be two closed circuitperiods and two open circuit periods, each period 15 seconds long.

It will be seen that the power from line to load may be varied withoutloss by use of the aforedescribed apparatus because power consumed in itload is the product of watts and time, c. g. watt hours used, and theinput may .be reduced by fractionally reducing the time portion of theproduct of watts and timc.

The circuit may be seen to be a variety of three way switching. It isobvious that the circuit may be otherwise arranged than as shown inFigs. 4 and 5, for instance the connections between contacts 26b and Ebband between contacts 250 and 25c may be wired so that a connection ismade botween contacts "b and lie and another connection between contacts28b and "c without disturbing the function.

In addition the ruggedness and simplicity of construction or theapparatus described as well as the manner and convenience or its use,installatlon and accessibility for inspectlon, renewal and repair, aswell as other advantages, will be apparent without further description.

We are aware that many changes may be made and details varied withoutdeparting from the principles or our invention and we therefore do notwish to be limited to the details shown and described.

We claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a pair of cams, means fordriving the same at a predetermined rate 0! speed, manually operatedmeans for adjusting the relative position or one cam with respect to theother so as to obtain an adjustable range of zero to input to load andcooperating switch means operable by said cams.

'2. In an apparatus of the character described, a pair of cams, meansfor driving same at a predetermined rate of speed, manually operatedmeans for adjusting the relative position 01' one cam with respect tothe other so as to obtain an adjustable range of zero to 100% input toload and cooperating switch means operable by said cams, said switchmeans including switches interconnected so that the load circuit iscompleted during such portions of the rotating cycle in which theswitches are in corresponding positions and open during such portions ofthe rotational cycle in which the switches are in noncorrcspondingpositions to thereby control the ratio of time on to time of! of inputto load.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a pair of cams, means fordriving same at a predetermined rate of speed, manually operated meansfor adjusting the relative position of one cam with respect to the otherso as to obtain an adjustable range of zero to 100% input to load andcooperating switch means operable by said cams, said switch meansincluding switches interconnected so that the load circuit is openduring such portions 01 the rotating cycle in which the switches are incorresponding positions and completed during such portions of therotational cycle in which the switches are in non-correspondingpositions to thereby control the ratio of time on to time on of input toload.

HANS J. OS'I'ERMANN. THEODORE A. COHEN.

